DC's Article

[dave]

I recently found an article that DC had published in 2005, we will miss the man and his brilliant insights and writings, entitled "From Weir Point, Chapter 2" in which he asked the most interesting question that I have not seen on any of the boards

"After marching 12 miles from Fort A Lincoln, Custer called for a officer's meeting where he said that

someone had expressed dissatisfaction of him to his superiors. He expected future concerns would follow the proper military channels. Benteen wanted to know if he was the officer in question and Custer said no.

DC's question was “Exactly, who were the officers who had complained about Custer up the chain of command?"

I highly recommend the article and would like to open the floor for possible candidates to be discussed.

www.darkendeavors.com/boulder_lout/46.asp#_ftn1

[quincannon]

Whomever the officer was I do hope he got the ass chewing of his life by the officer he complained to for violating the most basic of principles, the chain of command.

Don't think much of the way Custer handled it either.

Unless the subject matter of the complaint can be determined though, I think there is little chance at this late date of determining who or whom the officer(s) were.

If I had to bet though, I would put my money on a very junior officer.

[dave]

QC
I was struck because it is such an obvious question yet I never saw it. It was not the cuddly Freddie Benteen because he asked if it was him. I suspect it might have been Tom Weir since he was the one who acted so strangely atop the bluff with the sorta jaunt toward Weir Point.
Weir and Libbie had been the subject of some discussion and perhaps Tom felt George mistreated Libbie with his possible affairs.
Who ever did complain sure got away with it.
Regards
Dave

[quincannon]

I think it natural to assume the incident, if it occurred, was more in the immediate time frame, within the last day or hours before departure. That does not necessarily correct.

I think though that it would not be one of Custer's immediate regimental family. I believe Weir could be considered in that group.

Weir is a wild card though in a deck of jokers.

[Beth]

Interesting read. I am confused because it is identified as an excerpt from Chapter 2. Was DC writing a book?

Going on what DC is implying I don't think you can automatically exclude members of the Custer Clan. It was a very public call out.

On the other hand if it was a junior officer perhaps it was someone on the Reno scout whom didn't appreciate that Custer didn't approve of their effort.

[quincannon]

I don't think you can exclude Custer making the whole episode up. I doubt it, because the command climate in the regiment was miserable, but still I don't preclude a complete fabrication on Custer's part given the timing and wanting to put all of his officer on notice that they had better mind their manners, or else.

[Beth]

Sept 30, 2015 21:57:56 GMT quincannon said:

I don't think you can exclude Custer making the whole episode up. I doubt it, because the command climate in the regiment was miserable, but still I don't preclude a complete fabrication on Custer's part given the timing and wanting to put all of his officer on notice that they had better mind their manners, or else.

What would it serve to put in your underlings minds that there was a spy in their midst on what was basically the night before a battle.  It can't encourage cooperation if you think that someone might report something you did to higher ups.  

I was going to ask Custer that bad at knowing what was wise to say depending on time and events but then remembered he is just coming off his Washington trip. 

[quincannon]

Beth I am the last one to ask what Custer's motivating factors were. Don't have a clue.

What he is reported to have said is straight by the book - If you want to bitch about something making that bitching go through the channels of the chain of command.
,
Custer must have been under a great deal of emotional stress, most of it by his own making. Pissing off the Commander in Chief, thought at the time to be the greatest military hero since George Washington, and certainly the greatest in the 19th Century, tends to do that to someone. He was in debt up to his eyeballs. His relationship with the newspapers had been, or would soon be uncovered. He had a battle to fight, that he HAD to win. All these things piled up together must have taken their toll.

I don't think he made any of this up, BUT, it cannot be removed from possibility.

[Beth]

I don't think it was made up. I just wonder about his timing on confronting people at that time. But then again I am seeing it as hindsight knowing they would be fighting a battle to the death in a few days while Custer might not have been viewing the possibility of an Indian battle anything more than a great deal of fun.

[quincannon]

Control Beth, control.

[Beth]

Very true. However the more you try to control things around you, the less you are actually in control.

[deadwoodgultch]

Sept 30, 2015 22:53:38 GMT Beth said:

Sept 30, 2015 21:57:56 GMT quincannon said:

I don't think you can exclude Custer making the whole episode up. I doubt it, because the command climate in the regiment was miserable, but still I don't preclude a complete fabrication on Custer's part given the timing and wanting to put all of his officer on notice that they had better mind their manners, or else.

What would it serve to put in your underlings minds that there was a spy in their midst on what was basically the night before a battle.  It can't encourage cooperation if you think that someone might report something you did to higher ups.  

I was going to ask Custer that bad at knowing what was wise to say depending on time and events but then remembered he is just coming off his Washington trip. 

Beth,

Spy's? Weir with Benteen? Moylan with Reno? Interesting choice of words.

Regards,

Tom

[deadwoodgultch]

Dave,
Stole DC/Lout from you, put on associates board. I wonder if any will read all. Would they go looking for part one or three. I know someone who did.

Regards,
Tom

PS been sittin on a dock on the bay watching the tide, hopin to see Otis!

[dave]

Tom 
Otis is with the Bar-Kay.
Regards
Dave
Glad the tide went out without you or your little skiff!